Trust and Public Policy

How Better Governance Can Help Rebuild Public Trust

Trust plays a very tangible role in the effectiveness of government. Few perceptions
are more palpable than that of trust or its absence. Governments ignore this at their
peril. Yet, public trust has been eroding just when policy makers need it most, given
persistent unemployment, rising inequality and a variety of global pressures. This
report examines the influence of trust on policy making and explores some of the steps
governments can take to strengthen public trust.